Latch-accommodating keeper unit



July 9, 1946. w. J. PINARD 2,403,825

7 LATCH-ACCOMMODATING KEEPER UNIT Filed Feb. 24, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 114 Q 26 J 'E' Inventor July 9, 1946'.

w. J. PINA RD LATCH-ACCOMMODATING-XEEPER UNIT Filed Feb. 24 1945 :5Sheets-Sheet 2 Will 0/ mar R4555? Will 0/5560 FJIJEFP Jaw I I y M'EMWIII: III

Patented July 9, 1946 2 UNITED STATES-PATENT OFFICE 2.40. ..826LATQH-ACCOMMODATING KEEPER UNIT William J Pinard, Manchester, N. H.

p Application February24, 194 5, Serial No. 579,552

This invention relates to so-called knob-controlled and actuated nightlatches such'as are employed on domestic doors, and the like, for

conventional latch unit merely to bring out its association and coactionwith the keeper unit. However, and'as above implied, such structuralnovelty as exists hereinis devoted to the keeper unit by itself.

Briefly, the improved keeper unitis characterized' by a hollow box-likecasing for reception of the projectibleand retractible latch bolt',;said

casinghaving a back plate, end platesand a front plate, the latterserving as theabutment and retainer for the latch bolt, there beingspecial reinforcing flanges opposed to the back plate and connected withthe end plates, and said back plate also having an adapter, extensionwith reinforcing webs.

The object of theinvention is to provide a keeper unit of theaforementioned type which can be successfully applied to the door jambor frame so that it will project therefrom laterally to coact with thelatchunit,the construction and method of attachment of said keeper unitbeing such as to provide for rigidity and. to promote ease ofmanufacture, simplicity in design and mode of attachment, thelatter stepattainable without likelihood of breakage of the keeper unit or damageto the door jamb or frame on which it is mounted.

Not only is the keeper unit applicable to the door frame to projectoutwardly therefrom, but is susceptible of being submerged and sunk in amortise formed in the door jamb, this to adapt it for use in structureswherein the door itself recedes into the frame and the latch unit istherefore substantially flush with the coacting surface of the doorframe.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description' and the accompanying illustrative drawings. a

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are employed todesignate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a portionof a door, adoor frame, a

knob-equipped latch unit to the right on the 2 Claims. (01. 292 s40) Vdoor, and the improved keeper unit on the door the parts. Figure 5 is' asection on line 55 V of Figure 4. Figure} 6 is a detail plan view of thekeeper unit by itself.

Figure '7 is an elevational view observing one 7 side, which may becalled the back plate, with the extension and reinforcing webs.

Figure 8 is a View like Figure 7 observing the opposite or What might becalled the front side or face of said keeper unit.

Figures) is an elevational view in which the observer sees the back,front and marginal end walls or plates, thus bringing out theconstruction of the unit from all sides, taken in conjunction WithFigures 6 to 8, inclusive.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference characters andwith reference to Figures 6 to 9, inclusive.

is indicated at H, this being on the usual springactuated plunger J. Theplunger is operated by the knob through suitable mechanism (not shown).Thus, it, will be seen that the latch unit 0 is old and no part of thisinvention.

The invention hasto do with the keeper unit ID. This is brought outbest, it is believed, in Here, we observe that the main shell II is inthe form of a rectangular hollow construction and is characterized bywhat we will call a back wall I2 having screw holes l3, this-beingprovided with an integral extension or attaching flange I 4 in turnprovided'with triangular connective webs and. reinforcing elements IS.The flange is also provided with screw holes l6 which serve in a mannerto be hereinafter described. The end walls are denoted at IT, theseconnecting with the 3 latch bolt abutment wall 18. The front wall isactually made up of a pair of cut-away extensions or flanges l9 formedintegral with the end walls [1 and said abutment wall IS.

The keeper unit is applied either as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or inFigures 3 to 5. In Figures 1 and 2, the door A closes flush with thedoor jamb B and therefore the parts C and H] are in somewhat customarypositions for coaction with each other. More specifically, the keeperunit i is then fastened to the door frame by way of the special adapterflange I l. Thus, screws 25 are passed through the screw holes I6 forfastening the keeper unit in place. It is so positioned that the flanges19 are on opposite sides of the projected latch bolt H, the latter beingadapted to abut the abutment plate 18 between said flanges I8. Ifdesired, this plate Ii! can be thickened or reinforced (not shown) atthis point for strength, When the door closes below the surface of thedoor jamb, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the door comes to rest againstthe wall K of the rabbet, the'remaining edge of the door opposing theright angularly disposed wall L of the same rabbet. This wall L istherefore mortised in order to accommodate the then substantiallyembedded keeper unit. It is necessary to form a cavity to accommodatethe rectangular shell of the keeper unit and also to provide countergrooves into which the flange l4 and reinforcing webs l5 slip in place.This is brought out in Figure 4. At this time, instead of the flange [4serving to accommodate the screws, the wall, that is, the back wall l2,serves to accommodate the screws 2|, thus anchoring the unit securely inplace.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction withthe invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader toobtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features ofmerit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts maybe resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made fromthe invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A keeper unit of the class described comprising a substantiallyrectangular hollow shell embodying a rectangular back wall, laterallydisposed end walls, an outer latch bolt abutment wall adjoining the backand end walls, and a pair of flanges in alignment with each other andconnected with the end and outer abutment walls, said flanges beingspaced apart and opposed in parallelism to said back wall, and said backwall being provided with a right angular extension formed integraltherewith, the extension constituting an attaching flange, said backwall and flange being provided with screw-accommodation holes.

2. A keeper unit of the class described comprising a hollow shellembodying a flat back wall, integral right angularly disposed end walls,and outer latch accommodation and abutment wall at right angles to andadjoining said back and end walls, a pair of flanges in alignment and inthe same plane with each other and connected with said end and outerabutment walls, said back wall being provided with an integral rightangular extension, said extension constituting an attaching flange, saidflange being connected to the inner end portion of said back wall,saidback wall and said flange both being provided with screwaccommodation holes, and substantially triangular reinforcing websconnected with and located between the end portions of said flange andback wall. 7

WILLIAM .J. PINARD.

